When we’re young, full of energy and healthy, most of us don’t think that one day we’ll become disabled and unable to work, but the truth is that it happens to a lot of people. Life is full of the unexpected and things like car accidents, workplace accidents, exposure to toxic chemicals, and life-threatening medical conditions happen, and when they do, they can be so serious that the person experiencing them can’t engage in any meaningful work.
Fortunately, the United States has the Social Security system, which pays retirement benefits and disability benefits to qualifying individuals. If you were to become disabled and incapable of working, you may qualify for Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits providing you qualify.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, generally, your condition must be serious and it must be expected to last for at least one year or result in death. Plus, you must have worked long enough and paid into the Social Security system to qualify for benefits.
Compassionate Allowances: The Fast Track to Approval
Qualifying for SSDI benefits isn’t particularly easy and it doesn’t normally happen overnight; it can take months to be approved. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has to make sure that an applicant meets all of the eligibility requirements before approving them. While it can be difficult to be approved for disability benefits, there is a fast track to approval and it’s called the “Compassionate Allowances.”
“Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that, by definition, meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits. These conditions primarily include certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare disorders that affect children,” according to the SSA. The CAL initiative helps the SSA reduce the waiting time for approving an application for those individuals who have the most serious of disabilities.
Examples of CAL conditions:
- Acute leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Heart transplant wait list
- Joubert syndrome
- Liver cancer
- Perry syndrome
Is your medical condition on the list of CAL conditions? To find out, click here. To file a Social Security Disability claim, contact Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC.